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February 29, 2012

Have you ever gotten yarn burn? Don't know what it looks like? Well, look at this!

Let me tell you, it is painful! And I got tired of it!

So, I created a little cover to go on my finger and protect my finger.

Here's the pattern:Guage: not too important, because it takes longer to check the guage than to make the piece. If you're interested, my guage was 9 sts/10 rows = 2 in. Just make sure that the cover is snug on your finger so that it won't go all loosey goosey when the yarn rubs on it.Hook size: HYarn weight: worsted weight scrap yarn

Row 1: Ch 2, 8 sc in second ch from hook, sl st to join. Do not turn.

Row 2-4: Ch 1, 1 sc in each st, sl st to join. Do not turn.

Row 5: Ch 1, 1 sc in first three sts, 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next three sts, 2 sc in last st, sl st to join. Do not turn.

Row 6-10: Ch 1, 1 sc in each st, sl st to join. Do not turn.

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

It's a very simple pattern, but boy does my finger appreciate it!

On a side note: funny, a crocheted finger cover pictured with my knitting project.

One thing she discussed in the book, which is also in a tutorial on her site, is the invisible decrease. In the book she wrote, "The invdec is invisible from the front, but it leaves a visible horizontal bar on the back of the work."

But if you're working on a piece, and you don't want the decrease to show, but you're on the wrong side? All you do is change where you initially insert your hook. When following her tutorial (which is written perfectly, so I'll just direct you to hers here) all you do is insert your hook into the back loops of the stitches you want to decrease. This makes it so that the bar won't appear on the wrong side, but, instead, on the right side.

February 24, 2012

So, I came across these strange looking knitting needles by accident. I'd never heard of square knitting needles before!

But I went to a Knitting Social a few months ago, while working on a hat project, and I forgot my double pointed needles! I wasn't just going to sit there and stare at them knit for an hour--I had to buy new needles.

"Which needles do you recommend?" I asked the women at the social.

The woman next to me was quick to respond, "Get the Kolláge square needles!" she said. "They're the best needles I've ever knitted with, and they're the only ones I use now."

So, with a statement like that, I had to buy them. I've been knitting with them for a few months now, and I'd like to say that they are very nice to knit with. With the needle's unique shape, I've noticed that the needles "lock" in place when I'm yarning over. Plus, they are easier to grip, because you're grabbing a flat surface.

Here are my needles in action

The only down side that I have found with them is that they are very slick, and because I'm using the double pointed needles, this makes it easy to lose stitches if I'm not paying attention. So, if these were made in wood, I would be even more of a happy camper.

February 22, 2012

Well, I just finished playing Final Fantasy XIII-2 after 80+ hours of playing. I saw every paradox ending. I collected all 160 fragments. I laughed, I cried (I really did too), and I dropped my jaw at the "secret ending" thinking, "Where's the closure? This does not bring any closure."

But even though the ending had no closure, I still loved the game.

I have been playing Final Fantasy games ever since I was 5 years old, playing FFI on the regular Nintendo.

So far I've played every Final Fantasy game except V and VI, but I do own them, and will be playing them now that I finished XIII-2.

Now, I hadn't ever crocheted amigurumi before, but I was willing to try it, and when I saw an amigurumi box pattern and was inspired to create a moogle.

Now, I didn't have the pattern from which I was inspired from, all I had was the picture, and here's what I came up with:

My dish ended up being about triple the size as the inspiration. My second attempt at the head will have fixed his eyes to be traditional moogle squinty eyes, and will have fixed his nose to be like FF XIII-2's moogle's.

February 17, 2012

Now, I went over my Stargate Coaster design and edited it so that it's clearer to understand.

Stargate: SG-1 (Left) Atlantis (Middle) Universe (Right)

Note: I know that the gates are supposed to have 9 chevrons, but it takes 7 for a "normal" dialing sequence, so I made 7 chevrons, because I always hear Walter in my head saying "Chevron seven locked!"

Now, on with the pattern!

Finished Size:

5” diameter

Gauge:

Rows 1-7 = 3 ¼ ” diameter

Materials:

H hook (or size to obtain gauge)

Yarn Needle

14 Stitch Markers

All yarns used are worsted weight:

Color A = 1 skein Caron Simply Soft: Light Country Blue (inside)

Color B = 1 skein Naturally Caron Country: Charcoal (outer ring)

Color C = 1 skein Red Heart Soft Yarn: Turquoise (chevrons)

This is what I used in the pattern, but you can use any worsted weight scrap yarn, you just need:

a light blue for the inside “puddle”

a dark gray or charcoal for the outer ring

and a vibrant blue/turquoise (Stargate Atlantis)

a bright orange (Stargate SG-1)

or a white (Stargate Universe) for the chevrons.

This piece is done in the round without turning, working in the RS each row.

Row 8: Ch 1, 1 sc in first three sts, 2 sc in next st [1 sc in next six sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times, sc in last three sts. Change to Color B during the last st, sl st to first sc. (56 sts)

Row 9: Working now with Color B: Ch 1, [1 sc in next seven sts, 2 sc in next st] 7 times. Sl st to first sc. (63 sts)

Row 10: Ch 1, 1 sc in first four sts, 2 sc in next st [1 sc in next eight sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times, sc in last four sts. Sl st to first sc. (70 sts)

Looks like this!

Row 11:

Place stitch markers in the

5th, 7th,

15th, 17th,

25th, 27th,

35th, 37th,

45th, 47th,

55th, 57th,

65th, and 67th sts.

1 sc in first four sts, change to Color C, skp first stitch marker, spike st below next st, ch 1, spike st in same st, change to Color B, skip second stitch marker, [1 sc in next two sts, 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next four sts, change to Color C, skip first stitch marker, spike st below next st, ch 1, spike st in same st, change to Color B, skip second st marker] 6 times, 1 sc in next two sts, 2 sc in last st.

Sl st to join, fasten off. Weave in the ends and voilá! It’s a stargate!